ThinkThunkhttp://thinkthunk.info
Tue, 25 Aug 2015 15:19:02 +0000en-UShourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.8.1Messenger added back to the Facebook App!http://thinkthunk.info/messenger-added-back-to-the-facebook-app/
http://thinkthunk.info/messenger-added-back-to-the-facebook-app/#respondTue, 25 Aug 2015 15:19:02 +0000http://thinkthunk.info/?p=91For those of you that were not happy when Facebook pulled messenger from the main Facebook app, your ranting and stomping has paid off!

I am one of those many that refused to install the messenger app and decided to just ignore messages than give in to installing it.

The Messenger app is not going away anytime soon, but this will help ease the anger that has been building up over the year.

The terms for the new Messenger app are a totally unacceptable invasion of privacy, and the fact you are forcing them on users is outrageous. Allow users the choice of continuing to use the old messaging feature.

]]>http://thinkthunk.info/messenger-added-back-to-the-facebook-app/feed/0Life-Size Minecraft Christmas Treehttp://thinkthunk.info/life-size-minecraft-christmas-tree/
http://thinkthunk.info/life-size-minecraft-christmas-tree/#commentsMon, 09 Dec 2013 18:13:52 +0000http://thinkthunk.info/?p=30Minecraft, who thunk it? Such a simple game, in fact when I first saw it I thought back to my days, many, many, many days, of playing Zelda (1987). Here we are 26 years later with one extra dimension. Kids and adults are crazy for Minecraft, my boys included.

So, here we are and Christmas time is upon us. I decided to take the craziness of the season one step further and build a life-sized Christmas Tree, a Minecraft Christmas Tree, and this is how I did it.

Obviously, I needed some good blocks. I did some searching and found 12x12x12 inch boxes online at Staples.com that I thought would work perfectly. I ordered the boxes and while I was waiting for them to arrive I decided to head over to Lowe’s to search from some plywood. I needed the plywood to create a frame that would not only support all the boxes, but that I would be able to conceal easily. Here is what I came up with.

I placed the order and headed over to Lowes to pick up some plywood, I needed to create a frame to support the boxes and be able to hide the frame at the same time. Here is what I came up with.

Next was to place the frame inside the house and start painting and wraping the base with boxes so it would look as if it were resting only on the boxes themselves.

Once the base was done we started building boxes, I decided to seal the boxes with hot glue so there would be no tape seams. This took some time and more cans of spray paint than I had imagined. We completed roughly 70-80 boxes and ready to build. Now where’s my pickaxe?

Now that all the boxes are in place it was time to decorate. First we strung the Christmas lights all around our tree and placed pins in the boxes to support the lights. We also made sure the lights will support the Christmas ornaments as there is not much else to attach an ornament to.

And that is it, our tree is done. The sun is going down and we must now go build our beds and wait for Saint Brick.

The Super Kit is an all encompassing introduction to STEM and robotics. VEX IQ robots can be immediately driven using the handheld VEX Controller and built-in programs. VEX IQ sensors, including a color sensor, gyroscope, potentiometer, allow for advanced robots and teaching opportunities. Robots can be programmed on the LCD or via a computer and free graphical programming software. The included Smart Motors and Bumper Switch provide significant learning opportunities.

]]>http://thinkthunk.info/vex-iq-unboxing/feed/0Say Arduino five times fasthttp://thinkthunk.info/say-arduino-five-times-fast/
http://thinkthunk.info/say-arduino-five-times-fast/#respondMon, 09 Dec 2013 15:50:18 +0000http://thinkthunk.info/?p=23Arduino can sense the environment by receiving input from a variety of sensors and can affect its surroundings by controlling lights, motors, and other actuators. The microcontroller on the board is programmed using the Arduino programming language(based on Wiring) and the Arduino development environment (based on Processing). Arduino projects can be stand-alone or they can communicate with software running on a computer (e.g. Flash, Processing, MaxMSP).

The community of Arduino enthusiasts is vast, and includes region specific groups and special interest groups. The community is an excellent further source of assistance on all topics such as accessory selection, project assistance, and ideas of all sorts.

]]>http://thinkthunk.info/programming-vex-iq/feed/0VEX IQhttp://thinkthunk.info/vex-iq/
http://thinkthunk.info/vex-iq/#respondMon, 09 Dec 2013 14:57:25 +0000http://thinkthunk.info/?p=6The VEX IQ system was designed to be simple and easy for students to use. Structural pieces snap together and come apart without tools, allowing for quick build times and easy modifications. A variety of gears, wheels and other accessories allows for complete customization of VEX IQ projects and mobile robots.

The Robot Brain takes high-end, powerful technology and simplifies it for educational use while keeping a high ceiling. Connect any combination of up to 12 Smart Port devices to the Robot Brain, which can then be controlled by built-in programs or programmed via a computer and compatible software program. In addition to using pre-programmed instructions, VEX IQ robots can be controlled by drivers using the Controller.